Play Ball!

My 16-year-old son and I just returned from a trip to Phoenix for Spring Training. Love us or hate us, we are Dodger Fans. Actually my son is the big fan. I’m just along for the ride, but am catching the vision. My family was in the sporting goods business and we have always had great sports event tickets.

Building memories and experiences with my son is important to me. As part of that parenting plan, I’m working on liking baseball even though it moves a bit slow for my taste. With a new ownership group and what should be the dream team, I could start bleeding Dodger Blue again. (Although so far it hasn’t quite worked out that way for the 2013 Lakers “dream” team.)

As we were watching players warm up on smaller fields at the beautiful Camelback Ranch baseball complex in Glendale, Ariz., I began reflecting on what it took for some of these players to get here. Many have had personal challenges to overcome. By the time they get to this level, they have paid their dues.

But even if you have gone through Little League, Pony League and the minor league pro system, and have made it to Spring Training, there is no guarantee that you will be successful in the major leagues. A player is close, but they still haven’t made it. Very few do hit that elusive level of success that so many try to achieve. In my entrepreneurial way of thinking, I translate this to everyone's struggle for success in today's increasingly challenging business world.

In the case of these professional ballplayers, success translates to millions of dollars for playing a game. In our world, most of us won’t make millions of dollars. We have to work very hard in the field of business, while they work very hard on the baseball field. We do, however, have opportunity to achieve the success we desire, but just like in professional sports, nothing comes easy.